Astronaut visits Lower Schoolers

Fincke, who also is a United States Air Force officer, has spent more time in space than any American astronaut -- 381.6 days.

He has served two tours aboard the International Space Station (one as its commander), has flown on a Space Shuttle mission (STS-134 as a Mission Specialist) and done nine spacewalks (in both Russian and American spacesuits).

Fincke, who speaks fluently in Russian and Japanese, also shared those abilities with the Lower Schoolers.

The 'Iolani students also got to meet Claude Onizuka (pictured below on the left), the younger brother of NASA Astronaut Ellison Onizuka, who became the first Asian American to reach space on the Space Shuttle Discovery, before losing his life on Jan. 28, 1986, aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger.

Fincke and Onizuka's visit to Seto Hall was made possible by 'Iolani alumnus Jon Yamaguchi '69 (pictured below on the right).